Police identify alleged killer of Sir Mars; autopsy shows he was stabbed several times, chest crushed

Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 May 2023, 11:32 by Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Police Force on Wednesday identified the 24-year old man who has admitted to killing prominent secondary school teacher and actor Kerwyn Mars alias Sir Mars, even as a post mortem shows his chest was crushed and he was stabbed numerous times.

The civilian law enforcement agency named the suspect as Brian Richards of John Fernandes Limited Squatting Area, Georgetown. Mars was killed on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at about 10:30 PM outside 1654 Plantation Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Head of the Police Force Criminal Investigations Department, Assistant Commissioner Wendell Blanhum said the file would be dispatched to the Director of Public Prosecutions  (DPP) for advice.

Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh on Wednesday conducted an autopsy on Mars’ body, revealing that he died from ‘crush injuries to chest’ compounded by multiple wounds to the skin. “Evidence of both sharp and blunt force injuries with crush injuries to the chest. Eight stab wounds about the body — upper left chest, right shoulder, upper left collarbone, left hand, right elbow, and left upper chest,” police said in a statement.

Sources have already told Demerara Waves Online News that Mr Richards has told investigators that after the scuffle, he was searching for his phone by the gearstick and mistakenly put Mares’ car in reverse gear. After the teacher was struck down and pinned to a nearby concrete fence, Richards said he fled the scene on foot, boarded a taxi and went home.

Mr Richards informed investigators that after Mr Mars withdrew money from an East Bank Demerara Automated Teller Machine (ATM), they went to the Green Bar and consumed about a case and half beers, resulting in both of them becoming intoxicated.

According to police sources, the suspect said they had a disagreement and he struck Mars on his head with a beer bottle. The teacher, he said, retaliated by stabbing him with a knife before exiting his (Mars) vehicle. Crime scene detectives have since found blood-stained clothing at Mr Richards’ residence.

The Police Force had initially said that two knives were recovered at the crime scene.